Salbutamol for Athletic Performance

Overseen By Satvir S Dhillon, MSc

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Disqualifiers: Smoking, Cannabis, Cardiopulmonary, Neuromuscular, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: Up to 2 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether salbutamol, a bronchodilator, can improve athletic performance in non-asthmatic individuals who experience breathing difficulties during intense exercise. Although typically used to treat asthma, salbutamol might aid non-asthletes with specific breathing challenges in performing better. Participants will receive either a salbutamol inhaler or a placebo inhaler to compare results. The trial seeks individuals who train or compete in endurance sports like running or cycling and possess a high aerobic capacity (efficient oxygen use). As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance athletic performance for those with breathing challenges.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have a history or current symptoms of cardiopulmonary disease (except controlled asthma), you may not be eligible to participate.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that salbutamol, a common asthma medication, is generally safe for people. A 2007 review found that inhaled salbutamol does not enhance sports performance and is safe when used correctly. Other studies indicate that inhaling up to 600 micrograms is permitted in sports without causing harm. This suggests that using 400 micrograms, as in this trial, should be safe. While some research suggests that oral salbutamol might enhance performance, those studies used higher doses than inhaled forms. Overall, salbutamol is considered safe at the doses used in this trial. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike the standard methods for boosting athletic performance, which often rely on extensive training and nutrition plans, salbutamol offers a pharmacological approach by acting as a bronchodilator. This means it helps open up the airways, potentially enhancing oxygen uptake and improving endurance during physical activity. Researchers are excited about salbutamol because it could provide athletes with a quicker and more direct way to enhance performance, leveraging its established use in treating asthma to potentially benefit athletic capabilities. Its unique delivery through an inhaler also allows for precise dosing and rapid onset of action, setting it apart from other performance enhancement strategies.

What evidence suggests that salbutamol might be an effective treatment for improving athletic performance in non-asthmatics?

This trial will compare the effects of a Salbutamol inhaler with a placebo inhaler on athletic performance. Research has shown that salbutamol, a drug commonly used for asthma, does not enhance exercise performance in non-asthmatic, non-athlete individuals when inhaled. Some studies found that oral salbutamol can boost muscle performance by about 13%, but inhaled doses do not have this effect in non-asthmatic athletes. Other research suggests that inhaling salbutamol might even make exercise more difficult by increasing the time it takes to fatigue. Although athletes use salbutamol, the evidence does not strongly support its effectiveness in improving performance for those without asthma. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jordan A Guenette, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of British Columbia

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for healthy individuals who may experience breathing limitations during high-intensity exercise. It's designed to see if non-asthmatic athletes could benefit from Salbutamol, a drug typically used to treat asthma.

Inclusion Criteria

Body mass index (BMI) > 18 and < 30 kg/m2

Currently training and/or competing in endurance sports (i.e. running or cycling)

Aerobic capacity (V̇O2max) greater than 120% predicted

Exclusion Criteria

Use of vaping devices or e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, or has used them more than 10 times in their lifetime

I have used cannabis in the last 30 days or have a history of smoking equivalent to 1 pack year.

I am currently smoking or have a history of smoking equivalent to more than 1 pack year.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either salbutamol or placebo inhalations followed by incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing

Up to 2 weeks

Multiple visits for exercise testing

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Salbutamol

Trial Overview The study tests the effects of Salbutamol versus a placebo in enhancing respiratory function and possibly athletic performance. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the actual drug or an inactive substance.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Salbutamol inhaler Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will take four inhalations of salbutamol, with 60 seconds between each inhalation, totaling a therapeutic dose of 400µg of salbutamol prior to performing an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test.

Group II: Placebo inhaler Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Participants will take four inhalations of placebo, with 60 seconds between each inhalation, prior to performing an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of British Columbia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,506

Recruited

2,528,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6135409/

Exercise performance after salbutamol inhalation in non ... Salbutamol inhalations do not increase peak exercise performance in non-asthmatic, non-athlete individuals. Ventilation during exercise is ...

2. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14567

Beyond bronchodilation: Illuminating the performance ... observed that 4 mg oral salbutamol countered a decline in muscle pH and enhanced the performance of the calf muscle by ≈13% during isolated ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04402658

Can Anti-asthmatic Medication Improve Sprint Performance ... The purpose of the project is to investigate whether the use of a WADA approved dose of salbutamol (albuterol/Ventoline) has a performance-enhancing effect on ...

4. publications.ersnet.org publications.ersnet.org/content/erjor/9/6/00657-2023

Inhaled salbutamol induces leanness in well-trained healthy ... And while inhaled salbutamol at doses of 1.6 mg did not affect performance outcomes when administered daily for 5 weeks during a period of strength and power ...

5. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17461391.2022.2063071

Inhaling salbutamol may decrease time to exhaustion in ... The results from the sport-like test protocols in this study show no beneficial, rather a negative, effect on performance (time to exhaustion ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4933613/

The World Anti-Doping Code: can you have asthma and ... In a 2007 review, Kindermann [11] noted that numerous studies had demonstrated that inhaled salbutamol does not enhance sports performance. Subsequent published ...

7. respiratory-research.biomedcentral.com respiratory-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12931-015-0315-2

Medical and pharmacological approach to adjust the ... Salbutamol abuse detection by athletes is based on a urinary upper threshold defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

8. ukad.org.uk ukad.org.uk/asthma-inhalers

Asthma inhalers and their anti-doping status in sport Inhaled salbutamol has a conditional status depending on the dose – it is permitted in sport when up to a maximum of 600 micrograms (mcg) is inhaled over any 8- ...